"Hey Mama" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West. It was released as the sixteenth song on the track-listing of his second studio album Late Registration (2005). The song was produced by West and composer Jon Brion and the song contains a sample of "Today Won't Come Again" by Donal Leace.[2] Though it appeared on his 2005 album, West had composed the song long before he had found fame, as early as 2000.[1] He provided a live rendition of "Hey Mama" as a tribute to his mother after she died in November 2007 within the setlist of his Glow in the Dark Tour.

Contents

The song is a ballad dedicated to West's mother, Donda West, describing his affection and appreciation for her having raised him amidst personal hardships and instilling her values in him.[3]

As a tribute to Donda West and to protest the release date of Taylor Swift's Reputation falling on the 10th anniversary of her death on November 10, 2017, West's fans organized Hey Mama Day, streaming the song over 700,000 times.[4]